Ventilating hood for show case lights



March 15, 1932.- R E. OTTENHEIMER VENTILATING HOOD FOR SHOW CASE LIGHTSOriginal Filed Dec. 19. 1,927

Patented Mar. 15, 1932 UNITED STATES REUBEN E. OTTENHEIMER, F BALTIMORE,MARYLAND VENTILATING HOOD FOR SHOW CASE LIGHTS Application filed.December 19, 1927, Serial No. 241,231.

This invention relates to illuminating devices for show cases andparticularly to a combined ventilator and reflector for use where alight source is housed in a portion of the show case structure. Wherevera light source is so mounted, some means must be provided to dissipatethe heat generated by the light source, and when such light sources areused in conjunction with refrigerated cases this problem assumes evengreater importance.

In my prior Patent No. 1,572,855, granted February 9, 1926, I havedescribed a refrigerated case structure in which the light source ismounted between the top rails of a narrow topped show case, and in whichthe heat is discharged through vent openings formed in such top rails.This construction is effective but does not lend itself well to thattype of display case construction in which all portions of the caseother than the glass are sheathed with porcelain enameled iron.

The objects of the present invention, therefore, are, first, to providea ventilator of peculiar effectiveness so far as the dissipation of heatis concerned, and, second, to provide a ventilator unit which may beused conveniently in show cases which are sheathed with porcelainenameled iron, as well as others, which permits ready access to thelight sources in case of need and which offers an attractive displayfeature which may be availed of conveniently when desired.

A practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in Which- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the topportion of the display case showing my improved ventilator applied.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the frame member forming a part of theventilator viewed from the lower or bottom side.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the reflector, viewed from the lower side.

The top rails of the case are indicated at 6 and 7. A portion of thefront glass panel is shown at 8. The top rails 6 and 7 are concealed bya sheet metal cap plate 9 having flanges 10 and 11 which overhang therails Renewed May 2, 1930.

6 and 7 respectively. The cap plate 9 is usually finished in porcelainenamel. A glass plate 12 extends between the lower edges of the toprails 6 and 7, and serves to isolate the lamp space from the interior ofthe case. 7

The construction of the parts so far described is not a part of thepresent invention and may be changed in various ways. For example, it iscommon practice in refriger ated cases to use double glazing, i. e., twoglass panels with a narrow air space between, and such construction may,if desired, be adopted for both panels 8 and 12.

Above the glass panel 12 and between the rails 6 and 7 there is mountedan elongated incandescent lamp bulb 13 which is mounted in a keylesssocket 14. The socket 14 is supported by a tube 15 carried by a bracket16. The bracket 16 is carried by a filler block 17 which connects thetop rails 6 and 7 Any equivalent way of supporting the lamp might besubstituted.

Directly over the lamp 13 an elongated generally rectangular opening isformed through the top plate 9. This opening is preferably slightlywider than the interval between the rails 6 and 7, and is of any desiredlength, but preferably greater than the length of the bulb 13.

Mounted in this opening is a frame member indicated generally by thenumeral 18. This has a m arginal flange 19, which seats on the top ofthe plate 9 and a centering flange 20 which enters the opening in thetop plate 9 and serves to position the frame 18. The frame 18 is closedat the front side and at both ends, but at the rear has a bar 21 whichoverhangs an upwardly inclined flange 22, leaving an intervening airdischarge port 23 (see Fig. 2) extending the entire length of the rearside of the ventilator frame.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the frame 18 is inclined upward tothe rear. The frame 18 is open at its top, there being a rectangularopening defined by a flange 24 which is sunk below the margin of the topof the frame and which serves as a seat to receive a removable top plate25. This plate 25 is held in place by small bolts 26 which pass pthrough holes in said plate and through registering holes 26' in the endflanges 24f of the frame 18. Below the frame 18 they pass through areflector 27 whose curved form is clearly shown in Fig. 2. Thisreflector lies below the flanges 24 of the frame 18, and is retained bynuts 28 applied to the bolts 26. The reason for making the plate 25removable is to permit the interchange of various types of platesbearing trademarks or advertising data conforming to the wishes of theuser of the case.

The frame 18 is fixed in position in such a way that it may be removedon occasion, for example, for the replacement of lamp bulbs 13.

Fixed in the front flange 20 are two projecting pins 29 which underliethe top plate 9 in recesses formed in the rail 7 to receive them.v Onthe rear side of the case the flange l9 is extended as shown at 30, andis provided with a hole 31 which receives a screw 32 driven through aregistering hole in the top plate 9, and into the rail 6.

By removing the screw 32 and lifting the rear edge of the frame 18, itthus becomes possible to withdraw this frame rearwardly, thus givingaccess to the lamp. After the frame has been removed it is possible todismount the top plate 25 and reflector 27.

It will be observed that the reflector 27 blinds the slot 23 so far asthe passage of light directly from the lamp is concerned. The reflector27 is spaced from the frame 18 and also from the top plate 25 in such away as to offer a passage for heated air over the top of the reflectorand to the slot 23. The effect is to create a circulation favorable tothe discharge of heat from the lamp space.

The form of the device is attractive, as is the possibility of using itfor advertising display. The removable top plate 25, being usuallyformed of translucent material lends itself well to such an advertisingdisplay. The manner in which the ventilator frame is mounted on the caseprovides a construction suited to cases sheathed with enamel metalwhich, nevertheless, permits necessary access to the lamp space.

hat is claimed is 1. The combination with a show case having a lightsource mounted within the struc ture of the case and having an openingabove said light source, of a combined ventilator and reflectorcomprising a frame member seated on the case and having a centeringportion extending into said opening, said frame being provided with aventilating port, and with an inclined seat to receive a removable topplate, a top plate removably mounted in said frame; a reflectoroverlying said light source spaced from said frame and top plate; andreleasable means for fastening said top plate and reflector in position.

2. A combined display device and ventilator for show cases comprising aframe member adapted to be mounted on the top of a show case over alight source, said frame member being inclined upwardly and rearwardlyand being formed with an opening in its top, such opening having aseating flange, and the frame member having a port for the escape ofheated air, a plate removably mounted on said flange and closing thefirst named opening, and means for preventing the passage of light fromsaid source through said port.

3. The combination of a refrigerator display case, artificial lightingmeans mounted at the top of said case, a light transmitting panelmounted within said case isolating said lighting means from the maininterior refrigerated portion of said case, ventilating means fordischarging heated air from said lighting means, comprising a framemember adapted to be mounted on the top of said case and having anapertured top and a port for the escape of heated air; a plate removablyseated in the aperture in said top, and means carried by said plate toguide the heated air to said port.

4;. The combination with a refrigerator display case having atransparent display panel and artificial lighting means mounted adjacent the upper portion of said panel to illuminate the interior of saidcase, of means to disperse heat generated by the lighting means and toprevent flow of said heat into the refrigerated interior of the case,comprising a ventilator frame mounted above said lighting means and aplate mounted below said lighting means, said frame and plate togetherwith the top of the case forming an enclosure for said lighting meansand said frame having an upwardly inclined top portion, said portionbeing formed with an opening in its top having a seating flange, andsaid frame being formed with an elongated port for the escape of heatedair, a plate removably mounted on said flange and closing the firstnamed opening, and means in said frame for blocking the passage of lightfrom the interior of said enclosure through said port.

5. The combination of a refrigerator display case, artificial lightingmeans mounted at the top of said case, a light transmitting panelmounted within said case and isolating said lighting means from the maininterior refrigerated portion of said case, ventilating means fordischarging heated air from said lighting means comprising a framemember mounted above the lighting means and having an apertured top, anda port for the escape of heated air, a plate removably seated in theaperture in said top, and a reflector overlying said light source andmounted in spaced relation to said plate whereby heated air may flowaround and behind the reflector to said port, and common means securingsaid plate and reflector to said frame member.

6. A refrigerator display case having an illuminating chamber in itsupper portion, a light transmitting panel closing the bottom of saidchamber and a display ventilator closing the top of said chamber,lighting means within said chamber, said ventilator including a framemember provided with a removable top panel adapted to the display ofadvertising, a ventilating port in one side of said frame member, andmeans carried by said plate in spaced relation thereto to block thepassage of light through said ventilating port and to direct heated airfrom within the chamber to said port.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

REUBEN E. OTTENHEIMER.

